In the Kitchen
by Archica
Summary: Yuffie makes dinner for Cloud. Short and Angsty.


She was slicing fresh vegetables at the counter when he came home from work, dropping two bags by his feet and pulling off his black denim trench coat. She didn't have to turn around to know it was him, or even to know exactly what he was doing. It was routine after all. She smiled to herself as she heard him step closer, and quickly slid a carrot off the counter and into the floor. Intentional, of course, but anyone else would call it an accident, a slip of the hand.

Just as he was positioned right behind her, she bent over to retrieve the carrot, her backside sticking up in the air and wiggling slightly as she pretended to feel around aimlessly in search of the vegetable. She finally grabbed it and stood up, whirling around in mock surprise. "Cloud! When did you come in?"

He grinned at her, coming closer until his body was pressed against her, the edge of the counter jabbing into her lower back. "The same time I come in every day," he told her, wrapping his arms around her.

Yuffie flashed him a devious look, bringing the carrot to her mouth in the most perverted way she could think of. "Well, big boy, you're going to have to eat your supper before you get dessert!"

Cloud sighed and released her, like a child with its favorite toy taken away. "Alright, alright. What are you cooking anyway?"

She turned around to continue slicing. "Vegetable and Chocobo stew. Your favorite."

Cloud suddenly hugged her again from behind. "I'm the luckiest man in the world, to be married to such a wonderful woman."

Yuffie breathed deeply, a smile spreading across her face again. "I know," she said.

Suddenly the knife missed the carrot and sliced into her thumb. She screamed, more startled than hurt, as a singular drop of blood oozed from the narrow cut. She turned around suddenly. No one else was in the kitchen, and she cursed under her breath as she reached for a napkin to dry up the blood.

"I've got to stop daydreaming like this."

Suddenly the kitchen door opened and Cloud walked inside, his arm around Tifa. "What's for dinner tonight?"

Yuffie was standing next to the counter with a green apron on, holding a red-stained napkin in one hand and a bloody knife in the other. "Uh... stew."

Tifa broke loose from Cloud and rushed to Yuffie, taking her hand. "What happened?"

Yuffie pulled free immediately. "Nothing... I just accidentally cut myself. It's not deep."

Tifa looked at Cloud, then back to Yuffie. "Listen, you don't have to do this. I'm not the greatest cook, but I'm good enough to feed this crowd. Go sit down. I'll finish."

Yuffie went over to the sink and washed off the knife, then returned to the carrots. "Oh, come on, I'd feel terrible if I didn't help out. It's the least I can do after you guys let me stay here for free."

Tifa nudged Cloud, and he gave her an annoyed look before sighing and then speaking up. "Yuffie, we think you should talk to your father. He's probably worried about you."

Yuffie didn't turn around. "Oh... am I that much of a burden to you guys? I can probably stay with someone else. Shera told me I could visit anytime, but I don't know if Cid knows she invited me. Heh... I wonder what Vincent's pad is like? Maybe he'd make me sleep in a coffin?"

Tifa put a hand on Yuffie's shoulder. "That's not what we meant. Of course you're welcome to stay here as long as you need to. You're a big help around the house, and with all these kids to look after... well... I could definitely use a hand. But we were just thinking of how we would feel if Denzel or Marlene ran away and..."

"I didn't run away. I moved out. There's a big difference."

Tifa was silent for a moment before she nodded quietly and removed her hand. "Alright. Just promise that you'll talk to him sometimes. He writes you letters all the time, but you never seem to answer them."

Yuffie looked over her shoulder at Tifa, grinning brightly. "Alright, I promise!"

Tifa smiled, then left the kitchen. Cloud sat down at a table, watching Yuffie work. "Hey... I didn't mean anything by that, you know. I don't care how long you stay. Tifa just has these overactive maternal instincts."

Yuffie didn't turn around to look at him. Her hands were nearly trembling. Alone in a room like this with Cloud, it made her heart pound uncontrollably. The only reason she left Wutai in the first place was to find Cloud again, and it broke her heart into a million pieces the day she discovered that he was married. But she had to be near him, even if she was only slicing vegetables in his kitchen while he and his beautiful wife made love in the upstairs bedroom.

"Hey... Yuffie, are you listening?"

Yuffie still didn't turn around. She couldn't bear to face him when they were alone. She was terrified that he would see her face flushed with passion, see her eyes full of desire. "Yeah, I heard. Don't worry, I understand."

Cloud leaned forward on the table until his head was resting on the hard surface. "You're so quiet lately. Anything wrong?"

Yuffie hesitated, then laughed breezily. "Nah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking about my future."

She heard the chair slide back as Cloud stood up, heard his footsteps carry him closer to her. She drew in a sharp breath, remembering the daydream she had entertained only minutes before. "Listen, Yuffie... you're..."

Tifa's voice suddenly rang out loudly from upstairs, beckoning Cloud to come to her. The kids were all outside playing and it was a rare chance for them to enjoy each other without interruptions. Yuffie didn't have to turn around to know that Cloud was grinning as he quickly pushed the chair back in and headed for the door. He stopped just before leaving the kitchen, turning back to Yuffie. "You're... a really special girl, Yuffie. You have a great future ahead of you."

Yuffie glanced back at him, forcing a tiny smile, "Thanks, Cloud."

He smiled back, and she looked back to the carrots as she heard the kitchen door swing open then close again. She heard his footsteps hurry up the stairs and their bedroom door slam shut. And ever so faintly, if she strained her ears, she could hear Tifa giggling and then very soft moaning.

Her hands were shaking, so much that the carrot slices were looking ugly and misshapen. "This is enough," she told herself, "If I can be here with him, it's enough."

But her chest was burning with pain and her eyes were stinging. She felt like dropping to the floor and sobbing. Cloud was upstairs with Tifa, with his wife, while Yuffie cooked their dinner. And she would never, ever, be closer to him than she was in that moment.

The knife slipped and cut through her thumb again, reopening the tiny wound. But this time, she didn't scream. She walked over to the sink and held the injured thumb under cold running water, watching the blood swirl down the drain. She forced back her tears, dried her hands, and returned to her work.


End file.
